Events

Alsace & the 25th European Patchwork Festival

Immerse yourself in textiles & patchwork in the heart of the beautiful Alsace! Enjoy the company and expertise of Mandy Shaw on this 6-day holiday where the highlight promises to be the 25th Carrefour Europeen du Patchwork. Historical buildings, village halls and places of worship are turned into galleries exhibiting over 1,200 textile works of art in the four villages of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Sainte Croix-aux-Mines, Liepvre and Rombach-le-Franc in the wonderful Val D'argent.

You'll stay in a characterful hotel in the charming Old Town of Colmar whose cobblestoned streets and winding canals are lined with half-timbered medieval and renaissance buildings. Easily explored on foot, Colmar has a wealth of shops selling high quality goods and local produce as well as first-class restaurants serving delicious Alsatian cuisine.

ITINERARY DAY 1Meet Mandy Shaw & your Arena Tour Manager for the flight from London to Basel. Transfer to your hotel in Colmar. This evening, join Mandy for a welcome drink in the hotel and the chance to meet your fellow stitchers.

DAYS 2 - 5Enjoy daily breakfasts served in the hotel and four full days exploring the internationally renowned Carrefour Europeen du Patchwork - a unique event dedicated to textile and patchwork. Quilts and textile works of art reflect both the traditional and the modern. Workshops (bookable and payable online) and the vast marketplace promise to inspire your creativity.

Your ticket for the four days includes use of the event organisers' own shuttle buses that will connect the four villages. In addition, we will include private transfers between Colmar and Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines in the morning and afternoon and private transfers back to the hotel both early and late afternoon. This choice of transfers gives you flexibility so you can enjoy time exploring Colmar and the patchwork landscape of the Val D'Argent at your own leisure.

DAY 6After breakfast in the hotel you'll transfer from Colmar to Basel for your return flight to London.